The Engen Knockout Challenge returned to the fields of the Western Cape with force this weekend (24 to 26 September 2021), bringing together talented teams of young footballers to compete in an all-out clash. And after a hard-fought few days, two teams came out tops, with RV United dominating the women’s division, and Ubuntu Football taking top spot among the men.
The Challenge, which is contested by Under 19 teams around the country, is seen as one of the most prestigious youth development football tournaments in South Africa. It was hosted virtually last year, courtesy of COVID – but teams made the most of their return to the field.
Khayelitsha based RV United beat Spurs WFC 1-0 in the final on Sunday to win the women category of the contest while Ubuntu Football overcame Cape Town City FC (also 1-0).
“It was a very tough final for the girls considering the fact that we started Friday and the fatigue factor started to get to us,” said Vuyo Kayi, Head Coach of RV United. “We managed to handle the game well, and we became very comfortable on the ball. That worked to our advantage. They (the girls) worked hard and I’m proud of them.”
Image: Vuyo Kayi, Head Coach of RV United
RV United was founded in 2011 with the mission to inspire young women in Khayelitsha to become leaders in life and football, and to become a well-known and respected team in the South African Football Association (SAFA) and SASOL League.
“So this was kind of a payoff and reward,” he said. “It showed that all the struggles we endured were worth it. And we’re excited to be going to Gauteng.”
Casey Prince, Coach of Ubuntu Football, was happy to outline the blueprint behind their success – in between all the celebrations.
” I think what makes Ubuntu special is that we have a clear mission and vision to develop communities and transforming leaders,” he said. “We are about far more than football, and these kids spend everyday together. They eat together; they train together; they do their house chores together; they go to school together. When you do all these things together all day you really create a strong bond.”
That bond made all the difference – and helped the team build on their previous Cup performances.
“We’ve never really gone far too far in this tournament before 2019,” he recalled. “In 2019 it was about breaking new barriers and creating new expectations. So this year there was an added expectation and a belief that we can win.
But there were no guarantees – and winning was not the end goal..
“It’s not your right to win. You have to go and do it. We also take the focus away from winning – winning is fine and we want to do that, but ultimately it’s not our goal. Winning this trophy gives us the opportunity to play more games. We can’t afford to travel very often, so if someone gives us the opportunity to test ourselves, that’s a special thing for us. This week was just about believing that they (the boys) can go and do that.”
And the mission is bigger than the football field as well. Like RV United, Ubuntu was founded ten years ago as a non-profit football academy with a mission to mentor and educate the next generation of great African leaders.
“Our mission is very clear: we want to see healthy communities. We want to see thriving communities and a really amazing nation through the impact that these guys have. And we believe that’s happening and we believe that the 40-odd graduates are doing that.”
Engen Knockout Challenge 2021: A Stellar Soccer Success (Commentary)
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the Engen Knockout Challenge took place within strict COVID-19 compliance regulations – so there weren’t crowds of spectators around to view the talented teams.
I was lucky enough to attend – and it was amazing.
So as the sun sets on this competitive avenue of development, my thoughts dwell on the smiles of each individual who competed to be called Champions.
From my personal experiences we can see the similarities between both teams that won the cup. Their collective efforts and spirit dragged them over the line. In both finals there was not a clear favorite but the champion was crowned due to perservances and a level of togetherness that you can’t train for.
All in all, the Western Cape can be proud of what they’ve achieved with the completion of another Engen Knockout Challenge.
From the organisers to the media teams to the medical teams, and – of course – all the actual football teams, men and women alike, everyone brought passion and professionalism to the event. Limits were pushed. Barriers were broken.
And there was some spectacular football along the way.
The Cape Town and Durban legs of the Engen Knockout Challenge are now over, but Johannesburg’s first leg is scheduled to take place from 1 to 3 October 2021. And it will all culminate with the Champ of Champs finale from 7-9 October 2021 in Johannesburg. Stay tuned!
